Northern Morocco’s Al-Akhawayn University is joining with the United Nations Development Program to promote anti-poverty activities and a human development agenda, the first initiative of its kind in

Northern Morocco’s Al-Akhawayn University is joining with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to promote anti-poverty activities and a human development agenda, the first initiative of its kind in the Arab region.

The university is setting up development centers to assist poor communities, and UNDP will provide expertise and experience to support them. UNDP activities in Morocco include initiatives for poverty reduction through small loans and income-generating activities, gender and development, environmental conservation and renewable energy, access to information and communications technology, and the campaign against HIV/AIDS.

The first joint initiative by the partners was the Moroccan launch of the Arab Human Development Report 2002 at a media event in December and a seminar in January for decision makers from the public and private sectors and civil society. — (menareport.com)